Wednesday, September 21, 2011

San Francisco

﻿

Not far from Santa Cruz, we had to stop at Swanton Berry Farm for strawberry shortcake and coffee. Their farmstand is run on the honor system and there's a discount for cyclists! We signed their bike tour logbook and skimmed books that are scattered throughout the tables and couches inside. It was dangerously pleasant there. But, we eventually saddled up and rode north through more beautiful stretches of coastal farmland until...

San Francisco! We decided to set up in Union Square and play for the crowds downtown. It served as a rehearsal as well; Adam and Shawn brought more instruments to add to the Flux arsenal - a set of bike chimes, a hub and spoke kalimba, and the portable electric mini-tub bass which uses a derailieur cable, coffee can, and piece of a fork.

Later, we wandered around the Mission before our show at Sub/Mission Art. Our friend from Chicago Ben Kolak was also on tour in San Francisco screening his film Schizcago during the same time as our Flux Bikes tour. We'd been invited to play some music before the film, which also has the concept of "flux," bicycles, experimental music and an awesome glitchy score by Alex Inglizian. The Schiz-crew had some unique items for sale inclulding their DVD/Instrument, which has a circuit-bent sampler built into the case, and t-shirts made from recycled X-rays.